NEC meeting: Court adjourns Sowunmi’s suit against PDP till March 18   

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has adjourned, till March 18, a suit filed by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Segun Sowunmi, against the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, for not convening a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting within constitutionally stipulated period.

Sowunmi filed the suit seeking an order to compel PDP officials to convene a NEC meeting and a restraining order preventing the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from further delay.

The plaintiff is also asking the court to note that a party must obey its own constitution, saying that a party, which disobeys its own constitution, ought to be proscribed.

When the matter came up, yesterday, plaintiff counsel, Anderson Asemota, told the court that all parties in the suit had now been duly served.

Asemota also informed the court that he had received the counter-affidavit from the defendants challenging the motion filed by the former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, to be joined in the suit.

The lawyer said he tried to file his response against the counter-affidavit before the next adjourned date, but it was not possible.

He, therefore, prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable him peruse the counter affidavit and respond appropriately.

As the defendants’ counsel did not oppose the application for adjournment, Justice Olajuwon adjourned the matter till March 18 to hear all applications filed in the suit as well as the substantive matter.

Sowunmi had filed the suit against PDP, Damagum, along with the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu and National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, to compel them to convene the NEC meeting.

Other defendants in the suit are the National Auditor, Okechukwu Daniel; National Treasurer, Ahmed Yayari; National Youth Leader Muhammed Kadade and INEC.

In an affidavit in support of the suit, the plaintiff averred that the last NEC meeting of the party was convened by the sacked National Chairman, Sen Iyorchia Ayu, on September 8, 2022.